The conventional technique for repairing or otherwise treating teeth in dental procedures such as the removal of caries or in the manufacture/repair of dental prosthetic (eg crowns, dentures) typically involve the use of rotary drills. These drills perform at preset speeds, typically "high or "low". As a result, these instruments lack fine control and are imprecise. Furthermore, the drilled surfaces are relatively smooth and are generally not ideal adhesive surfaces for the metals, porcelain, acrylics and/or composites routinely used in dental practice.
As an alternative, the use of air abrasion in micro-dentistry (AAMD) is attractive Its current but limited use extends to both intra (ie. removal of caries) and extraoral (ie dental prosthetic) applications. A major advantage of AAMD over conventional rotary drills is that it is more precise and affords the user much more control in the aforementioned intra and extraoral applications. Additionally, AAMD typically results in augmented and eroded surface areas which are more amenable to adhesion to metals, porcelain, acrylics and composites. This latter adhesion can be increased by 80% when compared with surfaces resulting from conventional drilling
Notwithstanding the apparent advantages of AAMD over conventional rotary drilling, the use of the former has been limited by technical and health-related difficulties. Conventional AAMD devices are not capable of controlling emissions of both the abrasive dust and airborne abraded dental amalgam material, inside the mouth of the patient and outside to the dental operatory. The abrasive material typically includes an aluminum oxide powder of 27.5 to 50.0 microns in particle size and therefore travels easily in ambient air as dust. Its aluminum content makes it a toxicological risk for Alzheimer's Disease. Meanwhile, the abraded dental amalgam can have toxic constituents such as mercury from old dental fillings. This contamination of dental operatories persists in current applications despite the use of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum systems. Furthermore, extensive use of intraoral latex rubber dams are also necessary to aid in the prevention of inhaling the respirable aluminum powder by patients. The use of these latter latex rubber dams is also problematic in light of the possibility of inducing latex-associated asthmatic or respiratory type reactions. As neither prevention technique is particularly efficient or effective, the continuance of exposure to the abrasive dust and abraded dental amalgam and the attendant potential for health complication(s) is of concern to both patients and dental professionals.
In light of this prior art, the development of an abrasion system that provides improved dust suppression would be considered revolutionary within the field of micro-dentry As such, overcoming the problem of respirable dust would create better visibility, healthier conditions, make practical extra and intra-oral usage and eliminate the need for costly high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum units.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel dental abrasion system
It is also an object of the present invention to provide novel techniques for dental abrasion.